1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to text input technology. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system that allows users to input handwritten Chinese characters to a data processor by entering the first few strokes required to write a character, so that users can perform characters input tasks in a fast, predictive way.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Around the globe, over 1.2 billion people speak Chinese. This includes the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Singapore, and a large community of overseas Chinese in Asia and North America. Chinese character strokes and symbols are so different and so complicated that they can be sorted and grouped in a wide variety of ways. One can analytically sort out as many as 35–40 strokes of 4–10 symbols or more per Chinese character, depending on how they are grouped. Because of this unique structure of Chinese language, computer users cannot input Chinese characters using alphabetic keyboards as easily as inputting Western language.
A number of methods and systems for inputting Chinese characters to screen, such as the Three Corners method, Goo Coding System, 5-Stroke method, Changjie's Input scheme, etc., have been developed. However, none of these input methods provides an easy to use, standardized input/output scheme to speed up the retrieval, typewriting process, by taking full advantage of computer technology.
Several other methods and system for inputting handwritten Chinese characters are also deknown. For example, Apple Computer and the Institute of System Science in Singapore (Apple-ISS) have developed a system which features an application for dictation and a handwriting input method for Chinese. This system incorporates a dictionary assistance service wherein when a first character is recognized, the device displays a list of phrases based on the first character and the user may select the proper phrase without inputting any stroke. This technique effectively increases the input speed.
Another example is Synaptics' QuickStroke system which incorporates a prediction function based on a highly sophisticated neural network engine. This is not a graphics capture application where the users have to write out the entire character before the software can recognize which character is intended. Instead, it can recognize a character after only three to six strokes of the character have been written. It can be used with a standard mouse, Synaptics TouchPad™, or a Synaptics pen input TouchPad.
Another example is Zi Corporation's text input solutions based on an intelligent indexing engine which intuitively predicts and displays desired candidates. The solutions also include powerful personalization and learning capabilities—providing prediction of user-created terms and frequently used vocabulary.
It would be advantageous to provide a handwritten Chinese character input method and system to allow users to enter Chinese characters to a data processor by drawing just the first few strokes and one selection movement such as mouse clicking or stylus or finger tapping.